Edina City Council Meeting / June 18, 2024
Edina approves training facility expansion and major development plans
Liquor License Approvals
South Metro Public Safety Training Facility Expansion
Acceptance of Donations
Preliminary Rezoning and Development Plan for 7235 France Avenue (Macy's site)
Full Document Analysis
Votes (6)
Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR) for the year ended December 31, 2023
Moved by Council Member Pierce [00:37:05] · Seconded by Council Member Jackson [00:37:08]
Lance Lawinger and Lucas Chase from CliftonLarsonAllen presented the 2023 ACFR. The audit yielded an unmodified (clean) opinion. Highlights included a discussion of financial results for the General Fund, Utility Fund, Aquatic Center, Golf Course, Arena Fund, and Liquor Operations, noting revenue and expenditure changes. The auditors reported a material weakness related to uncorrected audit adjustments for compensated absences and reclassifications, and another material weakness in federal single audit compliance for procurement (SLRF program) due to items occurring before a new city policy was implemented. Minnesota legal compliance findings included prompt payment of bills and a missed broker certificate. Future GASB standards (100, 101, 103) were also reviewed for their upcoming impact on financial reporting.
Request for New On-Sale Intoxicating Sunday Sale Liquor Licenses: People's Organic Coffee Bakery Cafes Inc. DBA People's Organic
Moved by Council Member Agnew [00:41:40] · Seconded by Council Member Jackson [00:41:43]
Clerk Sharon Ellison presented the request for People's Organic, which is relocating within the Southdale Mall and therefore requires a new license. Staff recommended approval. A public hearing was held, but no one from the public or online offered testimony.
Request for New On-Sale Intoxicating Sunday Sale Liquor Licenses: Guac On Inc. DBA Pur Lima Cantina
Moved by Council Member Jackson [00:45:25] · Seconded by Council Member Pierce [00:45:28]
Clerk Sharon Ellison introduced the application for Pur Lima Cantina, a new restaurant opening at the former Stock & Spade location (3925 West 50th Street). Staff recommended approval. The co-founder, Lily Phillips, was expected but did not attend. A public hearing was held, but no one from the public or online provided testimony.
Request for Conditional Use Permit and Variance for South Metro Public Safety Training Facility
Moved by Council Member Jackson [00:54:30] · Seconded by Council Member Agnew [00:54:33]
Assistant City Planner Emily Del Rymple presented the request for a Conditional Use Permit and a 7'9" building height variance for a tactical training facility at 7525 Braemar Boulevard. The variance is critical for creating two-story training scenarios and specialized ventilation. City Manager Scott Neil provided context on funding, noting state bonding bills totaling $2 million, and addressed initial underestimation due to scope creep and construction costs. Chief Milburn highlighted the daily use of the overall facility and the enhanced training opportunities this addition provides. A public commenter, Ms. Foster, questioned the budget accuracy, citing concerns from other large public projects, and was assured of continued financial oversight before contract award. The Planning Commission unanimously recommended approval.
Resolution 2024-45 Accepting Donations to the City of Edina
Moved by Council Member Jackson [00:55:51] · Seconded by Council Member Agnew [00:55:54]
The Council considered a resolution to accept several donations. The Police Department received a therapy dog (valued at $2,600 from Heart of America Woodles) and $10,000 for training (from Soldier's Best Friend). Chief Milburn explained the dog's role in internal officer support, with potential for future external deployment. The Parks and Recreation Department also received donations totaling $2,550 for tree plantings at Brison Park, Aire Boulevard Island, Rosland Park, and York Park.
Resolution 2024-40 Preliminary Rezoning, Overall Development Plan, Site Plan, Subdivision for 7235 France Avenue
Moved by Council Member Jackson [01:23:48] · Seconded by Council Member Agnew [01:23:51]
Patrick Brahma and Lucas Vantin presented updated plans for the former Macy's furniture site. Changes included enhanced pedestrian crossings, step-backs on building corners and along the promenade, and architectural improvements on the north facade. Council members raised questions regarding building massing, specifically why taller buildings were proposed to the south (due to setbacks from residential areas and a planned pedestrian connection across France). Concerns were voiced about the capacity of underground parking for larger move-in/delivery vehicles, the perceived encroachment and urban feel of proposed sidewalks and landscaping near the 9 Mile Creek Trail, tree preservation, and ADA accessibility along France Avenue. The engineering director confirmed Three Rivers Park District approval is required for trail-adjacent plans, and the city's sewer capacity is sufficient. Council Member Pierce expressed concern about the volume of new information introduced after the formal public hearing, impacting the review process.
Notable Quotes (11)
This isn't something that's material... due to the work that it would take to implement them and add them into the financial statements not considered necessary or or changes the outcome of the financial statements at all it is not something that's material so um something that does not need to be corrected.
your work is really critical to making sure that we're as strong financially as we can be and as healthy as we can be.
People's Organic is actually a current holder of an onsale liquor license they are in the Southdale mall but they're moving from their current location to a new location and as a result um had to apply for a new license um and so we recommend um approval of this license.
Peral Lima Cantina is going into the space at 3925 West 50th Street that is a space that was previously occupied by stock and Spade um they've applied for the on sale intoxicating and Sunday sale liquor licenses and staff again is reviewing or is recommending approval.
The proposed building will provide um indoor tactical Training Center space and indoor space for vehicle stop training and the center will be used for training that involves indoor outdoor scenarios and onene vehicle arrival training.
This is u a facility a training facility uh addition that's not uh very common it will enable uh our EMS and law enforcement uh folks to do some training that is normally um done outside or or in other settings uh but this is close to home and we'll be we'll be really good for those folks to to for a training purpose.
I just wanted to ask as a question about the training facility because uh he indicated that they had to go back to the legislature and ask for an additional million dollars and I'm interested in knowing how did you underestimate that so substantially the budget that you would need.
It is uh relatively new around the region where uh these dogs will come into our organization and hang out and play a role uh 24/7 uh in in most cases we have a Handler that's going to be assigned to this dog and Handler will bring the dog back and forth but at times leave the dog behind and the dogs are intended just to be inside the office and create a climate or a culture where officers um can interact with the dog and it from you know research and Science and and background things that we've learned that that's a really good thing for a police department.
The Northwest building is almost 100% in that setback area uh from the neighborhood to the Northwest across France so part of the reason why we didn't want the Northwest building to be quite as tall was to try to respect that rule.
I am concerned I feel as if and I know with the trail they do have a three-foot buffer and as I look at that image it appears as if there's encroaching going on with the staircase coming down from the patio in that space that is the buffer for the trail and then you've got plantings there it really reminds me of what happened along um Valley View Road in front of v44 where um the public cretive way was encroached upon and you have a staircase coming down and you have plantings um and it it really does present the um very visually it is taking over that space and making it appear as if it belongs to a private development when in fact it is public space and for a bike multi-use path sometimes you have to go off the path because you're encountering other people and so not seeing the grass that is there now um is very disconcerting and I am concerned it's a safety issue to have a Stairway leading down right onto the 9M Creek Trail.
This we are breaking away from Standard Process um in that we have received a lot of information about changes after the public hearing and I was surprised to see so many new documents that were part of the packet and so um I've been kind of hustling to understand and wrap my head around the changes um I I feel as if we are a really short circuiting process.
Ordinances & Resolutions (20)
Financial report presented by CliftonLarsonAllen
Governmental Accounting Standards Board standard for subscription-based IT arrangements, implemented in 2023
Governmental Accounting Standards Board standard for public-private and public-public partnerships, implemented in 2023 with no impact
Governmental Accounting Standards Board standard for accounting changes and error corrections, applicable in upcoming year
Governmental Accounting Standards Board standard for compensated absences, applicable in upcoming year
Governmental Accounting Standards Board standard for financial reporting model improvements, applicable in 2026
Approving Conditional Use Permit with a height variance for South Metro training facility
Accepting donations to the city of Edina
Approving a preliminary rezoning and overall development plan and site plan subdivision for 7235 France Avenue
Requested for South Metro Public Safety Training Facility
Requested for South Metro Public Safety Training Facility (from 20ft to 27ft 9in)
Requested by People's Organic and Pur Lima Cantina
Requested for 7235 France Avenue
Requested for 7235 France Avenue
Requested for 7235 France Avenue
Audit required for federal expenditures over $750,000, tested SLRF program
Part of the audit, checking compliance with state statutes
City Code (Ordinance)
License Agreement (Other)
State Bonding Bill (Other)